A settlement was reached in the Slade v. Curology, Inc. case in 2020, addressing allegations that Curology’s website failed to meet accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, the specific settlement amount, compensation terms, and detailed provisions are not publicly available—the settlement agreement appears to have been kept confidential by the parties involved.
This means that if you were affected by Curology’s website accessibility issues and believe you may be part of this settlement class, you’ll have limited information about your potential compensation without accessing the court records directly or contacting the court. The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in 2020 and reached a settlement by July of that year. This article explains what is publicly known about the settlement, where to find case documents, how it differs from individual billing complaints, and what steps you can take if you believe you’re entitled to relief.
Table of Contents
- What Was the Curology Website Accessibility Lawsuit About?
- Why This Matters for Curology Users and Disability Rights
- Settlement Details and What Remains Confidential
- How to Access Public Court Records About the Case
- Distinguishing This Settlement from Recent Billing Complaints
- What You Should Do If You Believe You’re Part of the Settlement Class
- What This Says About Curology and Web Accessibility Going Forward
What Was the Curology Website Accessibility Lawsuit About?
The lawsuit centered on allegations that Curology’s website did not comply with accessibility standards required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA requires that websites be accessible to people with disabilities, including those using screen readers or other assistive technologies. A plaintiff named Slade filed suit in federal court arguing that Curology’s site created barriers for users with visual impairments or other disabilities who wanted to use the company’s dermatology service.
Website accessibility complaints have become increasingly common as more commerce moves online. For comparison, companies ranging from major retailers to smaller subscription services have faced similar ADA website accessibility lawsuits. The Curology case is notable because it involves a health and beauty subscription service, where accessibility is particularly important given that consumers need to navigate product information, application forms, and account management pages to use the service effectively.
Why This Matters for Curology Users and Disability Rights
The significance of this case extends beyond Curology itself. ADA compliance for websites is a legal requirement, not optional. When a company’s site is not accessible, it effectively excludes people with disabilities from using that company’s services—in Curology’s case, that could mean someone with a visual impairment cannot independently navigate the site to purchase or manage their prescription skincare subscription. A settlement, even one with confidential terms, sends a signal to companies that accessibility must be taken seriously.
However, if you are a customer who had difficulty using the site but did not have a documented disability accommodation claim or lawsuit involvement, this particular settlement may not provide you compensation. The settlement class in an ADA website accessibility case is typically defined as people who attempted to use the site and were denied access or faced significant barriers due to the accessibility failures. Individual billing disputes or general customer service complaints would not qualify. This is an important distinction: the settlement addresses a specific legal violation (website accessibility), not general dissatisfaction with Curology’s products or subscription practices.
Settlement Details and What Remains Confidential
The parties filed a stipulation of voluntary dismissal on July 20, 2020, indicating that a settlement agreement had been reached and would be “judicially enforceable.” This filing confirms a settlement exists, but the document itself does not disclose the financial terms or specific remedies. The actual settlement agreement appears to be under a confidentiality agreement, which is common in litigation. What this means in practical terms: you cannot simply look up how much Curology agreed to pay or what compensation structure was established.
Some settlements involve cash payouts to class members, while others might involve service credits, website fixes, or a combination of remedies. Without the settlement document itself, no one outside the settlement administrator and the parties can confirm what form relief takes. If you were part of this settlement class, you would have received notification during the claims process, assuming Curology complied with the settlement administration requirements.
How to Access Public Court Records About the Case
If you want to review what is publicly available about the Slade v. Curology lawsuit, the full case docket is accessible through two resources: CourtListener.com maintains a searchable database of federal court cases, including the Slade v. Curology case (Docket No. 1:20-cv-04198), where you can view court filings, motion documents, and the settlement notice. PACER Monitor, a service that archives U.S.
Federal court records, also has the case information available for review. Additionally, Law360, a legal news publication, covered the case. These resources allow you to see what motions were filed, what arguments were made, and when the settlement was finalized. However, these sources do not contain the settlement agreement terms themselves, only the procedural documents showing that a settlement occurred. If you believe you are entitled to compensation and want the complete settlement details, you would need to file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the court or contact the Southern District of New York directly.
Distinguishing This Settlement from Recent Billing Complaints
It’s important not to conflate the Slade settlement with Curology’s refund policies or billing disputes. The Better Business Bureau lists complaints about Curology, many filed in recent years (as of 2025), with concerns about refund policies and customer service issues. These individual complaints represent customer frustrations with how Curology handles billing or refunds on an ongoing basis—separate from the ADA accessibility lawsuit.
A single customer complaining to the BBB that they couldn’t get a refund for an unwanted subscription is very different from a federal class action lawsuit claiming systemic website accessibility barriers. The BBB complaints reflect Curology’s current business practices and customer service handling, whereas the Slade settlement addressed a specific legal violation that allegedly occurred in 2020 or earlier. If you have a current billing dispute with Curology, that issue should be pursued separately through Curology’s customer service, dispute resolution processes, or state consumer protection agencies—it would not be covered by the Slade settlement.
What You Should Do If You Believe You’re Part of the Settlement Class
If you have a disability that made it difficult to access Curology’s website in 2020 or around the time the case was filed, and you attempted to use the site, you may have been part of the settlement class. However, locating information about your potential claim is challenging given the confidential nature of the settlement terms. The first step is to search for any settlement notices you may have received in the mail or email around the time of the settlement in 2020. If you cannot find a settlement notice, contact the U.S.
District Court for the Southern District of New York directly and reference the case name and number (Slade v. Curology, Inc., 1:20-cv-04198). Court staff can direct you to settlement administration information or confirm whether a claims deadline has already passed. Many settlements have claim deadlines that are long since expired, in which case you would unfortunately be unable to recover compensation. It’s worth checking, though, because some settlements remain open for extended periods.
What This Says About Curology and Web Accessibility Going Forward
The existence of a 2020 settlement raises questions about whether Curology addressed the accessibility issues that led to the lawsuit. Examining Curology’s website today would show whether substantive accessibility improvements have been implemented since 2020. Many companies make accessibility fixes as part of settlement agreements, while others settle primarily for financial compensation while making minimal changes.
For consumers considering using Curology or other subscription dermatology services, website accessibility is one factor to evaluate, but it’s not the only one. Read independent reviews, check the company’s complaint history with consumer protection agencies, and verify that the company’s prescription process, billing transparency, and customer service meet your needs. The existence of a settled lawsuit doesn’t necessarily disqualify a company, but it does indicate that past practices were questioned in court.